Author
Topic: FIFA News Thread. (Read 63219 times)

truetrini

BRUSSELS, Oct 16 (Reuters) - FIFA, world soccer's governing body, is facing a possible challenge to the way the game is being run, one of the game's leading administrators told Reuters on Monday.

The move could result in a dilution of FIFA's powers in enforcing their decisions globally, according to the administrator who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

He said: "The confederations will propose that FIFA is run by an executive purely made up from the six confederations which will be left to run the game in their own areas as they see fit.

"It is time for the confederations to have more say in how they run the game in their own regions."

Reuters has learned that FIFA's six continental confederations will meet before December's scheduled FIFA executive committee meeting to draw up proposals for how they would like to see FIFA run -- gaining themselves more autonomy in the process.

The catalyst for the change is a move within the European Union on how the governance of the game should be structured within the bloc.

UEFA supports the EU's proposals, FIFA, with the backing of the International Olympic Committee, do not.

The issue has been brewing since earlier this year when Lennart Johansson, the president of the European confederation UEFA, told FIFA president Sepp Blatter of their intentions.

A FIFA spokesman told Reuters: "The proposals are not new. It is quite an interesting idea and we have heard of this before."

FIFA, which celebrated its centenary two years ago, consists of six continental confederations. Its 207 member associations belong to both their parent confederation and FIFA.

The 207 members each have one vote and effectively decide on how soccer is run by voting on issues at the FIFA congress. The agenda for the congress is set by the 24-man executive committee headed by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The confederations, also made up of their own FAs, run the game on each continent but have no direct vote at the FIFA congress.

STIFF COMPETITION

If their meeting proves successful, the confederations intend to deliver their proposals via their associations to FIFA for discussion at its next congress in Zurich in May.

The confederations, however, are expected to face some competition from a number of their own associations.

Not all associations would necessarily want to risk changing the status quo which could limit the amount of aid and funding they receive from FIFA to help run the game in their countries.

But the confederations will argue that they are best qualified on a daily basis to develop and expand the game at an individual level. They also believe they have the backing of the majority of their individual associations.

"FIFA will still be in charge of the game at international level, such as running the World Cup, and so the revenue from that will still be divided evenly," the official said.

"But each confederation is different and needs to be treated as such. It cannot be just one size fits all."

POSSIBLE SHOWDOWN

At the heart of the problem is a looming showdown between FIFA and UEFA, backed by the European Union (EU), on how the game should be run in the bloc.

Last month FIFA president Blatter and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge wrote to the European Commission and EU sports ministers protesting about proposed changes to the way sport will be governed in the EU.

A new draft of the review, due to be released later this week, will also call on soccer's governing bodies to "consider a restructuring and streamlining" of their organisations.

UEFA is seeking the adoption by the 25 governments of a European Sports Review completed in April which recommends closer control of sport in the EU including salary caps on soccer players and the monitoring of agents.

In their letter, FIFA and the IOC said they do not support the review and told EU lawmakers and politicians the governance of the sport should be left to soccer's own rule makers.

within such a world wide organisation such as FIFA there will on occasion regional needs and demands that are brought forth. the secret is too be able to maintain the global feel yet address the regional uniqueness.

Logged

Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads. Lord Chesterfield(1694 - 1773)

With modern communication the word is out, FIFA dam corrupt and always has been. Now everyone knows the scam. Other Federations recognize they can gain benefits for themselves. FIFA come like the old Colonial masters and dear I say good old USA. They accountable to no one and making huge profits off of the International game, at the same time a handful of controllers making serious personal dollars.

By the way what happen to the FIFA report on Jack and other members???

Logged

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead Thomas Paine

That's all well and good, but how far does the various confederations arm reach? Many of the Europeans would like to see less third world countries in the WC, so this needs to be done in such a manner that FIFA (God help us) retains some presidential power. Also how would this move affect the leagues around the world and the releasing of international players on FIFA dates?

By the way what happen to the FIFA report on Jack and other members???

The more and more i read about Jack and FIFA is de more and more I say "Jack RUNNIN FIFA"dis man has got himself into a very powerful position resulting in him having the balance of power to get people like Sepp Blatter elected, therefore Jack has to die before anyone will be able to shake his hold over the people he has garnered support from. Maybe I am reading to much from "in between the lines" of articles that i have read by Lasana Liburd and Andrew Jennings.JMHO

« Last Edit: May 07, 2007, 01:34:52 AM by WestCoast »

Logged

Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads. Lord Chesterfield(1694 - 1773)

That's all well and good, but how far does the various confederations arm reach? Many of the Europeans would like to see less third world countries in the WC, so this needs to be done in such a manner that FIFA (God help us) retains some presidential power. Also how would this move affect the leagues around the world and the releasing of international players on FIFA dates?

yuh right about that,if they have their way is only South American and European teams will be at the WC

All ah allyuh raise some very good points here. Fifa need HONEST people in there (good luck to DAT!!) running the show, with the vision of Jao Havellange (spelling). He was the one that initiated the modern day expansion of the World Cup. Blatter and dem only want big teams to benefit even though he love to curry favour with the CAF.

Logged

Not because a man ears long and he teet' long dat it make him a Jackass!

elan and trini airman are correct fifa for all their corruption and short coming s have been fairly successful in making organised football a world game .the growpng importance of competitions such as gold cup ,caribbean cup and african nations cup are testimony to this .of course their is still racism and cultural superiority the running of football those in power rarely abdicate .sports world wide are run by millionaire caucasions fifa included they must therefore be commended for their attempts at some sort of integration process however belatedly.the football loving world must watch any attempt by european power brokers to high jack the game . their has been an increase in conservative politics throughout europe we all know the views of people such as the french politician le pen who argues therer are too many immigrants on the french national football team, the large european clubs have been trying to ride on the financial success of the champions league by suggesting a super league to rival the world cup,and club teams are currently trying to gain compensation from fifa for injuries to their players during international games the results of these cases can change the face of football as we know it ,can this be a case of jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.before taking sides we must give serious consideration to the polkitcs of euopean and world football .the hither to unheard of involvement of us and russian multimillionaires in english football ,countries like trinidad may not have the privlidge of seeing the next generation of yorkes and latapys play in their stadiums ,the world cup may be reduced to a competition for the second rate stars of national teams as the brilliant players are under contract of these new super clubs .think about these things.

elan and trini airman are correct fifa for all their corruption and short coming s have been fairly successful in making organised football a world game .the growpng importance of competitions such as gold cup ,caribbean cup and african nations cup are testimony to this .of course their is still racism and cultural superiority the running of football those in power rarely abdicate .sports world wide are run by millionaire caucasions fifa included they must therefore be commended for their attempts at some sort of integration process however belatedly.the football loving world must watch any attempt by european power brokers to high jack the game . their has been an increase in conservative politics throughout europe we all know the views of people such as the french politician le pen who argues therer are too many immigrants on the french national football team, the large european clubs have been trying to ride on the financial success of the champions league by suggesting a super league to rival the world cup,and club teams are currently trying to gain compensation from fifa for injuries to their players during international games the results of these cases can change the face of football as we know it ,can this be a case of jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.before taking sides we must give serious consideration to the polkitcs of euopean and world football .the hither to unheard of involvement of us and russian multimillionaires in english football ,countries like trinidad may not have the privlidge of seeing the next generation of yorkes and latapys play in their stadiums ,the world cup may be reduced to a competition for the second rate stars of national teams as the brilliant players are under contract of these new super clubs .think about these things.

Simply put. This is a very scary scenario if UEFA succeeds. There are a lot, if not all, of European countires that are not aware CONCACAF has major FIFA tournaments like the Caribbean Digicel Cup & the Gold Cup. For those Europeans aware of our tournaments in CONCACAF they probably think of them as insignificant. A case in itself which would see European clubs not releasing our CONCACAF overseas players to participate in the Gold Cup.Like Fatman pointed out if the player has value then those European powermongers will have the full support of UEFA on their side.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he wants to set up an anti-corruption committee to police world football's governing body.

The move comes after allegations of corruption dogged Fifa throughout the bidding process and voting for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Blatter said: "This committee will strengthen our credibility and give us a new image in terms of transparency.

"I will take care of it personally, to ensure there is no corruption at Fifa."

Blatter told Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung the committee would consist of seven to nine members "not only from sport but from politics, finance, business and culture".

And the Swiss confirmed he would not sit on the committee himself as he wanted to guarantee its independence.

The move to set up an anti-corruption unit will raise questions about the future of Fifa's ethics committee, which investigated claims of corruption last year.

Following the investigation, Fifa's executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii were suspended over allegations they offered to sell their votes during bidding for the World Cup, something the pair vehemently denied.

They both subsequently missed December's ballot in which Russia was chosen to host the 2018 tournament and Qatar the 2022 event, following a secret vote by the remaining 22 committee members.

During the bidding process for the World Cups, Fifa was also forced to investigate rumours of collusion between member associations and their bid committees in relation to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process.

At that time, Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke warned all countries that mutual voting deals were against Fifa rules.

The 2018 Spain-Portugal and 2022 Qatar bids were cleared of collusion in the investigation.

A BBC Panorama programme broadcast three days before the World Cup vote alleged three Fifa officials, Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira, took bribes in the 1990s.

Denying any wrongdoing, vice-president Hayatou has threatened to sue while Leoz and Teixeira are said to have also denied wrongdoing.

Fifa said at the time the case was "definitely closed" as allegations had already been investigated in Switzerland, with no Fifa officials being convicted.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he wants to set up an anti-corruption committee to police world football's governing body.

The move comes after allegations of corruption dogged Fifa throughout the bidding process and voting for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Blatter said: "This committee will strengthen our credibility and give us a new image in terms of transparency.

"I will take care of it personally, to ensure there is no corruption at Fifa."

Blatter told Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung the committee would consist of seven to nine members "not only from sport but from politics, finance, business and culture".

And the Swiss confirmed he would not sit on the committee himself as he wanted to guarantee its independence.

The move to set up an anti-corruption unit will raise questions about the future of Fifa's ethics committee, which investigated claims of corruption last year.

Following the investigation, Fifa's executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii were suspended over allegations they offered to sell their votes during bidding for the World Cup, something the pair vehemently denied.

They both subsequently missed December's ballot in which Russia was chosen to host the 2018 tournament and Qatar the 2022 event, following a secret vote by the remaining 22 committee members.

During the bidding process for the World Cups, Fifa was also forced to investigate rumours of collusion between member associations and their bid committees in relation to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process.

At that time, Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke warned all countries that mutual voting deals were against Fifa rules.

The 2018 Spain-Portugal and 2022 Qatar bids were cleared of collusion in the investigation.

A BBC Panorama programme broadcast three days before the World Cup vote alleged three Fifa officials, Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira, took bribes in the 1990s.

Denying any wrongdoing, vice-president Hayatou has threatened to sue while Leoz and Teixeira are said to have also denied wrongdoing.

Fifa said at the time the case was "definitely closed" as allegations had already been investigated in Switzerland, with no Fifa officials being convicted.

CO-SIGNNNNNNNENTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Logged

Today you're the dog, tomorrow you're the hydrant - so be good to others - it comes back!"

FIFA is getting sued for having bad referees at the World Cup. A Colombian lawyer has taken it upon himself to get justice on behalf of the globe. But mainly himself for the "distress" that the referees caused.

And how much does he want? €1 billion.

Yep, 74-year-old Aurelio Jimenez has sued FIFA for €1 billion because of his emotional and physical distress. That includes being taken to the hospital with cardiac problems, something that is apparently all Carlos Velasco Carballo's -- and thus, FIFA's -- fault.

Carballo was the referee in Brazil's quarterfinal win over Colombia, which saw both teams play very physically and Carballo come under fire for not getting the match under control. There were several bad tackles, many of them aimed at James Rodriguez, which caused Jimenez distress.

It is assumed that Brazil's Neymar was also caused distress when Colombia's Juan Zuniga kicked him in the back and broke a vertebrae, but the Colombians are the ones who were distressed.

"I decided to sue FIFA in the Colombian judiciary system because in the past world soccer championship in Brazil, there were many wrongdoings related to referees who damaged many countries and their selections, among them the Colombia team," Jimenez continued.

One of the eight members of FIFA's financial watchdog has been arrested by police on suspicion of corruption and money-laundering.

Canover Watson, a businessman from the Cayman Islands and vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union, has denied the allegations.

Watson sits on FIFA's audit and compliance committee, a body set up in 2012 to "ensure the completeness and reliability" of the world governing body's finances. He is a close friend of FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb, a fellow Cayman Islands resident and the president of the CONCACAF confederation of countries from central and North America and the Caribbean.

The 43-year-old was arrested by officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Anti-Corruption Unit and has been released on bail to report back to police on September 29.

The arrest follows following a police investigation into a hospital swipe-card billing system in the Cayman Islands.

According to a police statement, Watson's arrest was for "suspicion of breach of trust contrary to section 13 of the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Law, as well as abuse of public office... and conflict of interest", as well as "suspicion of money laundering contrary to section 133 of the Proceeds of Crime Law".

A statement from Watson to media in the Cayman Islands said he denied any wrongdoing.

The statement said: "I make this brief statement following my arrest in relation to suspected offenses contrary to the Anti-Corruption Law.

"The allegations are denied. In due course, at the proper time and in the appropriate forum, I look forward to setting out my position in greater detail. For present purposes since the police investigation is ongoing, I have been advised by my attorneys that it would be inappropriate for me to make further comment."

GENEVA (AP) — Five officials, including three long-serving FIFA executive committee members, are being investigated in the corruption probe into the bidding contests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

A person familiar with the cases confirmed the names Thursday to The Associated Press after the five were identified in European media reports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the FIFA probe is confidential.

The current FIFA board members under investigation are FIFA vice president Angel Maria Villar of Spain, Michel D'Hooghe of Belgium and Worawi Makudi of Thailand.

Villar and Makudi risk losing their FIFA seats within months as even provisional suspensions from all football duty can block them standing in scheduled confederation elections.

The others under suspicion are German great Franz Beckenbauer and Harold Mayne-Nicholls of Chile.

Beckenbauer was a FIFA voter when the board chose Russia to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar secured the 2022 tournament. He was provisionally suspended during the World Cup in June for initially refusing to help Garcia's probe.

Mayne-Nicholls inspected the bids for FIFA ahead of the December 2010 polls, and reportedly sought placements for family members at Qatar's influential Aspire youth academy.

Last week, FIFA ethics committee chairmen Michael Garcia and Joachim Eckert said "a number of formal cases" had been opened against unidentified individuals.

FIFA also filed a criminal complaint to Swiss federal prosecutors against unnamed individuals cited in Garcia's investigation report, adding to a sense of disarray about the wider World Cup investigation.

The probe was revived after Eckert tried to close the cases against Russia and Qatar — a decision Garcia quickly appealed to FIFA.

On Thursday, FIFA said it "cannot confirm or deny any such information" about the five named, and referred questions to the ethics panel. The Kirkland & Ellis legal firm in Manhattan where Garcia is a partner was closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Individuals were identified Thursday despite strict confidentiality rules in FIFA's code of ethics sealing details of who is under investigation, and for which alleged offenses.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has backed Eckert's view that evidence in a 430-page report submitted by Garcia's investigations team cannot be disclosed. They cited privacy rights to protect suspects and witnesses.

Some members of FIFA's board who joined since the World Cup votes are calling for full disclosure. Garcia and UEFA President Michel Platini want "appropriate publication" with some redactions.

Villar, who was elected to FIFA's ruling board 16 years ago, was a leader of the Spain-Portugal bid that was among four candidates in the 2018 contest. It lost despite a widely reported voting pact with Qatar, in breach of FIFA rules to prevent collusion.

A former Spain player and chairman of FIFA's legal committee, Villar was previously identified in March as trying to remove Garcia from the investigation.

One bidder was "particularly uncooperative" with Garcia's requests, Eckert noted in his investigation summary. Only Spain-Portugal among nine bidders was not examined in Eckert's 42-page document.

D'Hooghe, the longest tenured board member with 26 years' service, previously acknowledged accepting a painting from a Russian former FIFA colleague during the campaign. He has said he voted only for his native Netherlands-Belgium bid in the 2018 contest.

Makudi joined FIFA's board in 1997 and was a longtime ally of Mohamed bin Hammam, the now-disgraced Qatari who was a key FIFA power broker.

Makudi was alleged in Britain's Parliament to have sought favors from England's failed 2018 bid. He denied the claims, which a FIFA ethics panel dismissed in 2011 before Garcia and Eckert were appointed.

Even if the FIFA prosecutions fail against Villar and Makudi, the cases could potentially remove them from high office.

Garcia and Eckert typically impose provisional suspensions on football officials when cases are pending, and both board members are due for re-election.

Villar has a late-January deadline to declare in UEFA elections for four of its eight delegates on the FIFA board. The vote of European football federations is March 24 in Vienna.

Makudi's latest four-year mandate from the Asian Football Confederation also expires soon. Those elections are expected in May.

The FIFA board, likely including the implicated trio, meets Dec. 18-19 in Marrakech, Morocco, and could get the Garcia dossier to review.

Amid the turmoil last week, Garcia and Eckert agreed that FIFA's independent audit and compliance official, Domenico Scala, should decide what evidence to give the board to help decide next steps in a saga that has dogged football's governing body for more than four years.

Logged

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

A massive few days on the international stage was undoubtedly highlighted by Netherlands securing the second last ticket on offer to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Elsewhere, Canada 2015 participants continue to jostle for form and bragging rights with France, Norway and the hosts all enjoying morale-boosts.

Dutch claim long-awaited prizeVerona was the unlikely venue to earn a place in the history annals of Netherlands women’s football as the Oranje Leeuwinnen achieved a landmark high by qualifying for the Women’s World Cup for the first time. The Netherlands did it the hard way by surviving a quartet of teams vying for one additional European ticket to Canada 2015. With Scotland and Ukraine out of the picture, it seemed Italy had the inside running heading into the final 90 minutes of a marathon UEFA campaign. The Azzurre secured a 1-1 draw in The Hague last weekend, but the home side were immediately on the back foot in Veneto. Prolific teenage striker Vivianne Miedema grabbed a first-half double to have the Netherlands well on their way, however a Stephanie van der Gragt own goal set up a nerve-wracking second half before the Dutch eventually clung on.

"The team has made history, not me,” said Netherlands coach Roger Reijners. “We have achieved a number of milestones since 2009. There has been so much progression. After the last European Championship (2013) we clearly discussed what we wanted and what we needed to improve. And you see that we really have taken steps since the beginning of this year.” While the Dutch celebrated, the heart-breaking defeat leaves Italy without an appearance at the Women’s World Cup since 1999. “The heart wanted to bring it home but that was not enough,” said Italy coach Antonio Cabrini. “We faced a well organised team that plays good football, we have done everything possible, but we must acknowledge that the Netherlands were superior.” The final berth to Canada 2015 will be determined next week when Trinidad & Tobago face Ecuador in the return leg of the intercontinental play-off.

Tight margins for Canada, Sweden 2015 Women’s World Cup hosts Canada continued their tough series of warm-up matches for next year’s event with two outings against traditional European power Sweden. The Canadians turned in a strong performance on Monday to secure a 1-0 win courtesy of a Jonelle Filigno strike just before half-time. Sweden looked set to reverse the scoreline on Wednesday thanks to Linda Sembrant’s goal just after the interval, but the nation’s leading scorer Christine Sinclair equalised to ensure the spoils were shared.

Boosts for France, Norway France and Norway both enjoyed morale-boosts in the final game before learning their opponents for Canada 2015. Goals in each half from Eugenie Le Sommer and Kenza Dali in Lyon saw Les Bleues see off Brazil, after the pair had played out a scoreless draw in their last meeting in June. It ends a strong period for France who defeated European champions Germany by the same scoreline a month ago. Meanwhile, Norway narrowly got the better of New Zealand in their two-match series. Two goals in the final ten minutes from sisters Andrine and Ada Hegerberg got Norway over the line in Stavanger, while the home side rescued a draw in the opener thanks to Isabell Herlovsen’s late goal.Source:http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/teams/index.html

This week in women’s club football was highlighted by a massive match-up in Germany where Wolfsburg saw off 1.FFC Frankfurt to leap to the pack of the pack at the midway point of the season. Australian leaders Perth Glory continued their winning form led by the irrepressible Sam Kerr, while it is the nation’s youngsters that are coming to the fore in New Zealand. Finally to Japan and the opening matches in the International Women’s Club Championship as the local sides turned on a show of strength.

Germany: Wolfsburg halfway thereReigning German queens Wolfsburg have taken another step towards claiming their third successive domestic crown after defeating seven-time winners 1.FFC Frankfurt to be ‘halfway champions’. First-half goals from Martina Muller and Lena Gossling were enough for the European champions to hold off the visitors’ all-star attacking line-up including Celia Sasic, the league’s runaway leading goalscorer. The result combined with a surprise scoreless draw for Bayern Munich at Essen, saw Wolfsburg open up a two-point lead at the summit. Turbine Potsdam joined traditional rivals Frankfurt in a share of third but only after a hard-fought 3-2 comeback win at Jena, which required a late Julia Simic winner Top three: Wolfsburg (29 points), Bayern Munich (27), 1.FFC Frankfurt, Turbine Potsdam (both 25)

Australia: Kerr maintains Perth’s glory Runaway league leaders Perth Glory maintained their stunning form by inflicting a record 5-0 defeat on perennial title challengers Sydney FC. Pacy forward Sam Kerr, following a breakthrough season in USA’s NWSL, turned in a virtuoso performance scoring her maiden league hat-trick including two superb individual goals. Canberra United saw their semi-final hopes suffer a blow with a 2-1 defeat at Brisbane Roar as Katrina Gorry cracked home a spectacular 35-metre effort just hours before jetting out to Manila where she was crowned AFC Player of the Year. Heading into the final round Glory and second-placed Melbourne Victory have nailed down a finals berth leaving Sydney FC, Canberra United and Newcastle Jets fighting for two remaining spots. Top three: Perth Glory (30), Melbourne Victory (20), Canberra United, Sydney FC (both 17)

New Zealand: Future looks bright The New Zealand Development side moved into next weekend’s season decider against champions Mainland Pride after an impressive 5-1 win over Capital Football. The NZ Development squad – a team featuring elite U-18 players who hope to form the basis of the 2016 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup side – impressed with a four-goal second-half showing against their older opponents. The young side earned their final berth courtesy of a hat-trick from New Zealand youth international Martine Puketapu.

International Women’s Club Championship: Hosts open on course The third edition of the annual Japan-based international club tournament started in positive fashion for Japan’s two representatives. Nadeshiko League opening stage champions Okayama Yunogo Belle eased to a 5-0 win over Australian counterparts Melbourne Victory. Manami Nakano and Saori Arimachi both scored doubles, while AFC Player of the Year nominee Aya Miyama was also on the scoresheet, as the Mimasaka side set up a meeting with Arsenal. In Sunday’s second match Urawa Red Diamonds claimed a comfortable 5-1 win over China PR side Jiangsu Huatai, with South American champions Sao Jose awaiting in the midweek semi-final.

FIFA.com rounds up the key events from women’s international and club football in November.International footballAnd the winner is...While many players can only hope to one day participate at a FIFA Women’s World Cup™, for the Dutch women’s national team that dream will come true after they qualified for the tournament for the first time in their history. The Netherlands beat Italy 3-2 on aggregate in the play-off final to secure the last European berth at the competition, with Vivianne Miedema scoring all three goals for the victors. “We had an objective which we’ve now achieved and it’s fantastic,” said the striker, who plays in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, after the two-legged tie. Meanwhile, the first leg of the intercontinental play-off between Trinidad and Tobago and Ecuador finished in a goalless draw. The decisive second leg to determine which side will book the final place at Canada 2015 will take place on 2 December.

Asian Player of the Year crownedAustralia’s Katrina Gorry and Japanese duo Aya Miyama and Nahomi Kawasumi were the three finalists for the AFC Women’s Player of the Year award 2014. Both Kawasumi and Miyama, who won the prize in 2011 and 2012, were part of the triumphant Japan side that lifted the title at the eight-team Asian Championship this year, where they beat Australia in the final as both teams qualified for Canada 2015. Gorry had an outstanding tournament, scoring three goals from central midfield and was rewarded for her fine performances by being named AFC Women’s Player of the Year on 30 November. The AFC Women’s Coach of the Year award went to Asako Takemoto, who led the Japan U-17 side to the world title.

Gearing up for the World CupThere were numerous international friendlies on the calendar in November as teams began warming up for next year’s showdown. Coach Philippe Bergeroo’s France side sent out a strong statement of intent by following up a 2-1 win over New Zealand with a 2-0 victory over Brazil a few days later. Sweden were not as successful in their two encounters with World Cup hosts Canada in Santa Monica, California. The Damlandslaget lost the first game 1-0 and drew the second 1-1, with Jonelle Filigno and Christine Sinclair on target for Canada and Linda Sembrandt finding the net for Sweden. Another two of next year’s World Cup participants, Norway and New Zealand, also locked horns last month. In the first game Amber Hearn put the Football Ferns in front, only for Isabell Herlovsen to equalise late on and secure a 1-1 draw. In the second meeting, sisters Andrine and Ada Hegerberg both scored to give Norway a 2-0 victory.

Germany silence WembleyGermany rounded off the year in style last month by easing to a 3-0 triumph over England at the legendary Wembley stadium. Coach Silvia Neid was deprived of the services of Fatmire Alushi, Nadine Kessler, Saskia Bartusiak, Lena Lotzen, Leonie Maier and 2013 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Nadine Angerer, but the reigning European champions nevertheless began the match strongly and went in front after just six minutes from Alex Scott’s own goal. Celia Sasic doubled their lead shortly afterwards following a sensational run in which she skipped past two defenders, and added a third just before half-time for a dominant German side.

Club footballChampions League quarter-final ties completeVfL Wolfsburg have taken another step towards a third UEFA Women’s Champions League title after brushing aside Austrian champions Neulengbach 11-0 in the Round of 16 to set up a quarter-final tie with newly-crowned Swedish champions FC Rosengard. The second German representatives, FFC Frankfurt, will face Bristol Academy in the last eight following their 9-0 rout of Torres Calcio. Glasgow City have the unenviable task of playing Paris Saint-Germain, who knocked out Olympique Lyon in the previous round, while Linkopings FC and Brondby IF will meet in the remaining quarter-final encounter. The first leg matches are set to take place on 21/22 March 2015, with the return fixtures kicking off a week later.

Silverware for Urawa RedsDespite suffering a 1-0 defeat to Albirex Niigata on the final matchday of the season, Urawa Reds Ladies lifted the Japanese title for the first time in five years after a nail-biting finale to the campaign. Urawa finished level on 24 points with NTV Beleza but were crowned champions due to their superior goal difference. Urawa’s Michi Goto was named as the league’s Player of the Year, while Jeff United forward Yuika Sugasawa ended the season as top scorer with 20 goals.

Cup successIt is not only in the Champions League that Wolfsburg and Frankfurt have made headway, as the duo also eased into the next round of the DFB Pokal at the start of November. The Wolfinnen showed Cloppenburg no mercy in an 8-0 thrashing, while Frankfurt knocked out Bayer Leverkusen with a 3-0 victory to set up what promises to be a thrilling quarter-final against current Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. In Denmark, Brondby’s 3-0 win over Slovbakken sealed their place in the semi-finals of the 3F Cup, where coach Peer Lisdorff’s charges will face a familiar opponent in Odense BK. The sides met in the 2013/14 cup final, which Brondby won 3-1. Glasgow City have already lifted the SWF Scottish Cup after defeating Spartans 5-0 in the final.

The stat16 - Dutch attacker Miedema finished as top scorer in European zone qualifying for Canada 2015 after netting 16 times in 982 minutes of play. France’s Gaetane Thiney was second in the chart with 13 strikes in 715 minutes.

The quote“I saw him in the room and I remember thinking, 'I have to speak to him', but I needed to pick the right moment. I didn’t want to interrupt and be rude. If the moment didn’t arrive it would have been fine. I would have just been happy to see him, but there was a moment where he was walking towards me as I was heading to the bathroom and I said, ‘Sir Alex, sorry to interrupt but I just wanted to say ‘Hi.’ He was great.” England international Lianne Sanderson on meeting Sir Alex Ferguson

Canada 2015 hopefuls learn fate in Ottawa(FIFA.com) 06 Dec 2014The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ moved ever closer on Saturday, as the Final Draw in Ottawa gave a clearer picture of what the prestigious tournament will look like next summer. The 24 qualified teams discovered which nations they will face in the group stage, while their fans, who will travel from all over the globe to support their heroines, now know which stadiums in Canada they will need to attend.

During an hour-long ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History, punctuated by wonderful vocal, musical and cultural performances showcasing the host nation, FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, and Tatjana Haenni, FIFA Deputy Director of the Competitions Division and Head of Women’s Football, determined the fate of competing countries.

The only thing that was certain prior to the decisive event was that Canada would be the seeded team in Group A and would play its first two matches in Edmonton. The hosts now know that they will lock horns with China PR in the opening match on 6 June, before taking on New Zealand and the Netherlands.

Reigning champions Japan were placed in Group C and will kick off their World Cup campaign in Vancouver, as will section rivals Switzerland, Cameroon and Ecuador. United States and Germany, who have both previously lifted the trophy twice, will be regarded as favourites to win Groups D and B respectively, although the Americans will likely be wary of the threat posed by dark horses Sweden and Nigeria. France, serious challengers for the title, will first need to negotiate duels with England, Colombia and Mexico in a group that will be principally based in Moncton.

Of all the pools drawn on Saturday, the hardest one to predict appears to be Group D, and the most highly-anticipated clash of the first round is likely to be USA-Sweden.

Groups:

Group ACanadaChina PRNew ZealandNetherlands

Group BGermanyCôte d'IvoireNorwayThailand

Group C JapanSwitzerlandCameroonEcuador

Group D United StatesAustraliaSwedenNigeria

Group EBrazilKorea RepublicSpainCosta Rica

Group FFranceEnglandColombiaMexico

The 52 scheduled matches at Canada 2015 will be held between 6 June and 5 July in six host cities, namely Ottawa, Moncton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Group A: Familiarity for Canada's Herdman(FIFA.com) 07 Dec 2014The Official Draw was conducted in Canada's capital, and notably, the hosts' Group A was confirmed, which included China PR, New Zealand and the Netherlands. FIFA.com takes a closer look at the group.

The big gameCanada - New Zealand, 11 June 2015, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, 19:00 local timeCanada's head coach John Herdman could not hold back a beaming smile when his former team New Zealand were confirmed to be in the hosts' Group A. Herdman coached the Football Ferns from 2006 to 2011, guiding the team to the 2007 and 2011 Women's World Cups, and he will now face his former side in an unfamiliar role as the host country's man in charge.

"I get a chance to play against my old team New Zealand, which I was hoping was going to happen," Herdman said minutes after the draw. "I’ve only coached two groups of players in the women’s game. The New Zealand girls meant a lot to us, so to be able to share a moment in Canada is going to be really cool."

Tony Readings, Herdman's successor, will be looking to lead The Antipodeans past the group stage for the first time in the nation's competition history. New Zealand have yet to win a group stage match in the tournament, and while a victory against the hosts would be an upset, it would be immediately inserted into New Zealand women's football folklore.

What else to expectWhile the Canada-New Zealand meeting will take most of the headlines, China PR and the Netherlands both offer intriguing narratives. China PR head coach Hao Wei takes a side that will surely be hungry to make a positive early impression on the proceedings after the country missed out on Germany 2011, the only edition they failed to qualify.

While the world welcomes back a tournament regular in China PR, the Netherlands will be one of eight new faces to participate at Canada 2015. Head coach Roger Reijners' side were the last European team to qualify, doing so in dramatic fashion in a two-leg play-off against Italy. Reijners will be leading a side that represents the first ever Dutch team to play in a FIFA women's competition. If the OranjeLeeuwinnen are able to use their momentum from UEFA qualifiers, they could very well book a place in the Round of 16.

Denis Law begins with a wind-up. His 75th birthday may be just a couple of months away, but the Scotland legend quickly proves that his wit is as sharp as ever, and his enthusiasm as boundless. And there is nothing wrong with his memory.

When it comes to recalling 1964, the year in which he became the first Manchester United player - and the only Scot - to win the Ballon d'Or, a vivid picture emerges. "In those days, there was no big announcements like there are now," he told FIFA.com. "You tended to find out from a local journalist about everything: when you were called up for Scotland, when there was a club in for you and so on. The Ballon d'Or was no different.

"There was no fuss, and receiving the award was the same. You see the Gala they have now and it's all very glitzy, with the big stars there and TV broadcasting it across the world. When I won, the Ballon d'Or was presented to me before a match at Old Trafford later in the season. The crowd gave me a little cheer and that was it. But one thing hasn't changed and that's the fact it's always been a special award to win. That's still the case today, and I'm very proud to be able to say I'm one of the few who has done it."

Law was a worthy recipient. Having returned to England from Torino two years earlier, the then 24-year-old had scored 30 goals in season 1963/64 and was en route to grabbing 28 more and inspiring United's first league title since the Munich Air Disaster. He was fearless, full of flair, and loved by supporters. Among those adoring fans was Sir Alex Ferguson, who described as "my idol" the man nicknamed 'The Lawman' and 'The King'. “He was the finest player that Scotland has ever produced and one of the greatest the world has ever seen," added the legendary United manager.

"Electric" was George Best's preferred adjective for his Red Devils team-mate. "Denis was the best in the business," said Best, himself a future Ballon d'Or winner. "He could score goals from a hundredth of a chance, never mind half of one."

That ability had already been recognised the year before Law's Ballon d'Or win when was named in a World XI to face England, this in a match marking the Football Association's centenary. Alongside him were the likes of Lev Yashin, Alfredo di Stefano, Raymond Kopa, Djalma Santos and Eusebio. Ferenc Puskas could only make the bench. Yet despite that experience of rubbing shoulders with the game's elite, and scoring this all-star side's only goal, Law's delight at the honour that followed was matched only by his astonishment.

"I knew I was playing well around that time, but the Ballon d'Or never so much as came into my head," he said. "I honestly didn't even think about it; didn't consider that I could possibly be in the reckoning with the Di Stefanos and the like. It was a wonderful surprise and I think the biggest pleasure of all came from knowing the fantastic players I was up against. I'd had a really great thrill playing in that World XI beside two of my heroes in Di Stefano and Puskas. To me, those were the kind of guys who won the big awards. They were the superstars.

"Even when I looked around Britain, I would see one of my all-time favourite players, John Charles, and a magnificent goalscorer in Jimmy Greaves. And in Scotland, I knew from the national team that we had two real geniuses playing at Celtic and Rangers in Jimmy Johnstone and Jim Baxter. Then there's Bobby Charlton across the dressing room from me at Man United and, a bit later, Besty (George Best). And that's before you even start on all the other greats who won it around the same time. It must have been so difficult to pick a winner, particularly in that era, and I was so grateful - and genuinely surprised - that I was given the nod."

Law certainly had plenty of competition. Either side of his triumph, there were wins for Yashin and Eusebio, while the likes of Gianni Rivera, Josef Mospust and Luis Suarez - runner-up in 1964 - all made for impressive contenders. Look beyond Europe, the Ballon d'Or's then area of focus, and one suspects that Pele, Garrincha and one or two others might just have come into the reckoning.

This dizzying array of winners and would-be winners stands in stark contrast to the picture today. These days, discussion on football's top award tends to centre on just two men, with either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo having prevailed in each of the last six years. And while Manuel Neuer is a goalkeeper for whom Law has the utmost esteem, he expects a continuation of this unprecedented period of pre-eminence.

"They're extraordinary; two of the best we've ever seen," he said of Messi and Ronaldo. "I don't envy the people voting, trying to separate those two. It's completely different to my era as we didn't have two players dominating in the way these guys have. And in a way, it might be nice to see someone else win it. Neuer is a great keeper and a world champion, after all. But it's not like he's up against two ordinary players.

"It would actually be nice if there could be a joint-winner because it's so hard to split Messi and Ronaldo this year. They're both fantastic, exciting players to watch and play and score goals at such a consistent level. When you think of Messi, the size he is and the tackles he has to face every game, I'm full of admiration for him. But then Ronaldo is outstanding too, and has that physical presence too. Whichever of them wins will deserve it, and whichever of them loses can consider themselves very unfortunate."

Like most football enthusiasts, Law considers himself well versed on the various attributes of Messi, Ronaldo and the world's other foremost footballers. Access to live football has never been greater than it is at present, and geographical location no longer determines how closely fans can follow their favourites' fortunes. Again, this situation is unrecognisable from the era in which Law played and grew up, when names such as Di Stefano, Yashin and Pele were accompanied by an air of mystery and mystique.

"That's a huge change," he acknowledged. "There's so much football on the TV that everyone knows these players inside-out. I was out in Chile a couple of weeks ago on behalf of Manchester United and there were hundreds of United fans there to meet us. And you're thinking, 'This is the other side of the world'. But because of television, that doesn't matter now.

"It's the same with Messi and Ronaldo. Back in the '50s and '60s, it was very rare to see the great players likes Di Stefano and Puskas on TV. I still remember being at Hampden for that famous European Cup final - Real Madrid's 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt - and being blown away. But there's a deeper knowledge these days and football is available to watch whenever you watch it. That means these guys, the Ronaldos and Messis, are under the microscope and it makes what they're doing all the more impressive. I take my hat off to them."

Given the chance, this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or candidates would surely return the compliment. Football may have changed beyond recognition in so many ways, but respect for its all-time greats - whether from five years or five decades ago - survives and endures.

Henry confirms retirementThierry Henry has announced his retirement from football and will return to London to take up a role in the media.

The 37-year-old former Arsenal striker left the New York Red Bulls at the start of the month after they were knocked out of the MLS play-offs, but there was speculation he might choose to play on at another club - with a return to the Gunners mooted.

However, the former France international and FIFA World Cup™-winner has instead called time on a trophy-laden career which included spells with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona and the Red Bulls.

In a statement released to Press Association Sport, Henry said: "After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with AS Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona, the New York Red Bulls and of course the French National Team that have made my time in the game so special.

"It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys.

"I have had some amazing memories (mostly good!) and a wonderful experience. I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part. See you on the other side..."

Goal-laden careerHenry will always be most closely associated with Arsenal, where he is the all-time goalscorer with 228 goals in 377 games across two different spells.

Arsene Wenger, who had known him as a young player at Monaco, signed him from Juventus for £11million in 1999, and immediately shifted him from the wing to a central striking position.

His blend of pace and power made him one of the most feared forwards in English football, and Henry won the Premier League title twice with the Gunners, as well as the FA Cup three times.

Henry left Arsenal in 2007 and joined Barcelona, where he won the UEFA Champions League in 2009. He also added two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to his honours list in three seasons at the Nou Camp.

His medal collection also includes a Ligue 1 title and Trophee des Champions with Monaco, his first professional club.

He spent the final five years of his playing career with the Red Bulls, returning to Arsenal to make four appearances on loan in early 2012.

With France, Henry scored 51 goals in 123 appearances - only Lilian Thuram has more caps with Les Bleus. He was a member of the 1998 World Cup winning squad, while also being a runner up in 2006. Henry was a European champion in 2000 and was part of the team that won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2003.

Blanc: Henry's legacy hard to imagineLaurent Blanc believes the next generation of French footballers will struggle to truly comprehend the extent of what retiring striker Thierry Henry achieved in his playing career.

On Tuesday morning, the 37-year-old confirmed he will return to London to take up a role in the media with Sky Sports "as a football expert and ambassador" from the start of 2015. Henry will always be most closely associated with Arsenal, where he is the all-time highest goalscorer with 228 goals in 377 games across two different spells, but he is also a FIFA World Cup™ winner.

Alongside former defender Blanc and the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps, Henry was part of the squad that were crowned world champions following their victory at France 1998. Current Paris Saint-Germain manager Blanc told L'Equipe: " He was a very, very good player. It's very hard for the children of today to imagine just how much Thierry Henry did across his football career.

"He did an enormous amount - with the French team but of course, most of all, with Arsenal. He has left an extremely big impression at Arsenal. He was an exceptional player with exceptional qualities. He had great goal-scoring ability and impressive durability. He still has an incredible physique but now he has decided it's time to stop. So I must congratulate him for the career he has had and say 'bravo' to him."

The Essonne-born forward won 123 caps for France - he is the second most capped player behind Lilian Thuram - and scored a nation's-best haul of 51 goals. Arsenal also paid a fitting tribute to Henry, as did a number of his soon-to-be new colleagues.

Team-mates pay tribute to "The King"On their official website, the Gunners brought attention to their 'Greatest 50 Players' list which named Henry at number one. The list, which was determined by tens of thousands of Gunners fans from across the world in 2008, has Dennis Bergkamp in second place, with Tony Adams, Ian Wright and Patrick Vieira rounding off the top five.

Gunners midfielder Theo Walcott, who made his debut for the north London club a year before Henry departed the first time, said he was truly inspired by his former team-mate. England winger Walcott posted a photograph of himself with Henry from their playing days together below a tweet, which read: "A true inspiration to me in my career. Thank you @Thierryhenry & good luck in your new path with @skysports".

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who played alongside Henry for four years at the Gunners, listed his former team-mate as "a true legend". Above a photograph of the duo in a post-match interview from their playing days, the Spain international wrote on Twitter: "Sad to see the end to the career of one of the best players I've ever played with. A true legend @thierryhenry!"

Former England man Wright tweeted a photograph of Henry with a simple message saying: "The king." Henry left Arsenal in 2007 and joined Barcelona, where he won the UEFA Champions League in 2009. He also added two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to his honours list in three seasons at the Camp Nou.

Henry spent the final five years of his playing career with the New York Red Bulls, returning to Arsenal to make four appearances on loan in early 2012. Henry left the Red Bulls at the start of the month after they were knocked out of the MLS play-offs.

Another player he came up against whilst in England on the field, who he will also work alongside in his new career, is another ex-rival in former Manchester United captain Gary Neville. The former defender praised Henry for his outstanding playing career and admitted he is looking forward to working with the Frenchman.

"We were blessed in this country to see Thierry playing at his peak, potentially one of the greatest players in the world and even if you supported another team you couldn't help but enjoy watching him play," Neville said. "It's always a shame when such a career comes to an end, but it's very much Sky Sports' gain and I look forward to working with him."

The American lawyer who led the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process has resigned from the Fifa ethics committee in protest over the handling of his findings.

Michael Garcia cited a “lack of leadership” at the top of Fifa in a resignation statement on Wednesday. He also says he lost confidence in the independence of his ethics committee colleague, the German judge Joachim Eckert, and questioned how Fifa can truly change after years of scandals and criticism.

The former US Attorney resigned a day after the Fifa appeals panel rejected his challenge of Eckert’s summary of the confidential 430-page investigation dossier. Russia won the right to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar was awarded the 2022 tournament.

On Wednesday, Garcia claimed that Eckert misrepresented his work, writing: “[The] Eckert Decision made me lose confidence in the independence of the adjudicatory chamber, [but] it is the lack of leadership on these issues within Fifa that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end.

“No independent governance committee, investigator, or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organisation.”

Garcia also revealed that the Fifa executive committee led by Sepp Blatter tried to have disciplinary proceedings opened against him in September. The attempt was rejected by the chairman of Fifa’s disciplinary panel.

Garcia was appointed in July 2012 with the priority of probing the controversial 2018-2022 World Cup bidding contests. The investigation was designed to help reveal the willingness of Blatter’s organisation to confront some of its deep-rooted problems.

“For the first two years … I felt that the ethics committee was making real progress in advancing ethics enforcement at Fifa,” Garcia wrote. “In recent months, that changed.”

Since Garcia and his investigation team submitted their work in early September, clear splits emerged between the prosecutor and the judge. Eckert has seemed closer to Fifa in his approach and belief in how the ethics panel could use its powers, much to Garcia’s increasingly obvious frustration.

Their working relationship was damaged by Eckert’s 42-page report published by Fifa last month which suggested that the World Cup bidding probe should be closed for lack of strong evidence of wrongdoing.

“When viewed in the context of the report it purported to summarise, no principled approach could justify the Eckert Decision’s edits, omissions, and additions.”

Eckert said any corrupt and rule-breaking acts were of limited scope and did not influence the result of the December 2010 votes of the Fifa executive committee.

Still, with Garcia’s work kept sealed against his wishes by strict Fifa code of ethics rules, critics and others have relied only on Eckert’s word about the evidence against Russia, Qatar and the seven other bid candidates.

“It now appears that, at least for the foreseeable future, the Eckert Decision will stand as the final word on the 2018/2022 Fifa World Cup bidding process,” Garcia wrote.

US lawyer Michael Garcia quits as head of FIFA's ethics committee US lawyer Michael Garcia has resigned as FIFA's independent ethics investigator after losing his appeal challenging the findings to clear Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.Garcia has issued a statement criticising FIFA's "lack of leadership", saying he cannot change the culture of the world governing body.He said: "Accordingly, effective today, December 17, 2014, I am resigning as independent chairman of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee."Garcia, who discovered on Tuesday that he had lost his appeal against the findings by ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, said it would have been "impractical" to take the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.His statement adds: "The appeal committee also overlooked the Eckert decision's self-described 'findings', including one stating that "the evaluation of the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups bidding process is closed for the FIFA ethics committee."FIFA president [Sepp] Blatter recently reaffirmed that 'finding' during an interview published by FIFA, stating: 'Furthermore, there is no change to Judge Eckert's statement that the investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups is concluded.'"I disagree with the appeal committee's decision. It now appears that, at least for the foreseeable future, the Eckert decision will stand as the final word on the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process."Garcia's investigation into the bidding had seen him deliver a 430-page report to Eckert, and FIFA's executive committee meeting in Marrakesh on Thursday and Friday are due to vote on whether that should be published but with the names redacted.

Garcia himself called for his report to be published back in September - but has now revealed he found himself reported to FIFA's disciplinary committee for doing so, though no action was taken.The American attorney has raised questions over the findings by Eckert, a German judge.He said: "The issues raised by Mr Eckert's selection and omission of material from the report, and his additional comments, went far beyond the initial transparency concerns. "Garcia also cast doubt on Eckert's independence, saying: "No independent governance committee, investigator, or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organisation."And while the November 13, 2014, Eckert decision made me lose confidence in the independence of the adjudicatory chamber, it is the lack of leadership on these issues within FIFA that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end."UEFA president Michel Platini described Garcia's resignation as a "failure" for FIFA.Platini said: "FIFA's ethics committee was created to increase transparency at the organisation, that's what we wanted, but in the end it has just caused more confusion. Mr. Garcia's resignation is a new failure for FIFA."Jerome Champagne, the former FIFA executive who plans to stand for the FIFA presidency, said: "Michael Garcia's resignation is a step backwards."We needed to know what happened before and after the 2 December 2010 [World Cup] vote. Today more than ever we need to know."When will the facts be known fully, transparently and above all without suspicion? When will we be able to start rebuilding FIFA's image?"FIFA president Blatter expressed his surprise and said the executive committee will appoint an acting chairman this week with a successor elected by the FIFA Congress in May.He said in a statement: "I am surprised by Mr Garcia's decision. The work of the ethics committee will nonetheless continue and will be a central part of the discussions at the ExCo meeting in the next two days."

Allegri ban liftedJuventus have been successful in their appeal to have the one-match touchline ban for coach Massimiliano Allegri lifted.

Allegri was punished by Serie A after insulting officials during Juve's 1-1 draw against Sampdoria last weekend.

Juve's emergency appeal was partially accepted by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Allegri will take his place on the bench at the Sant'Elia stadium in Thursday's league match at Cagliari.

A statement from the FIGC read: "The Sporting Court of Appeal has partially accepted the petition presented by Juventus, lifting the one-match touchline ban given to coach Massimiliano Allegri and instead handing the manager a 10,000 euros fine."

Juve have drawn their last two league games to see their lead at the top of Serie A cut to just one point heading into the 16th week of the season.

After Thursday night's game in Sardinia, Juve travel to Qatar, for the last game of the year - the Italian Super Cup final against Napoli in Doha on Monday